I was at length rewarded by hearing the
approving shout of "Go it, Ralph Rattlin!"

I am not fearful of dwelling too much upon the affair. It must be
interesting to those amiabilities called the "rising generation," the
more especially as a "barring out" is now become matter of history.
Alas! we shall never go back to the good old times in that respect,
notwithstanding we are again snugly grumbling under a Whig government.
Let us place at least one "barring out" upon record, in order to let the
Radicals see, and seeing, hope, when they find how nearly extremes
meet--what a slight step there is from absolute despotism to absolute
disorganisation.

Things were in this state, the boys encouraging each other, when, to our
astonishment, Mr Root, newly-powdered, and attended by two friends, his
neighbours, made his appearance in the orchestra, and incontinently
began a speech. I was then too excited to attend to it; indeed, it was
scarcely heard for revilings and shoutings. However, I could contain
myself no longer, and I, even I, though far from being in the first
rank, shouted forth, "Let us out, or we will set fire to the
school-room, and, if we are burnt, you will be hung for murder." Yes, I
said those words--I, who now actually start at my own shadow--I, who
when I see a stalwart, whiskered and moustached fellow coming forward to
meet me, modestly pop over on the other side--I, who was in a fit of the
trembles the whole year of the comet!

"God bless me," said Mr Root, "it is that vagabond Rattlin! I flogged
the little incorrigible but eight hours ago, and now he talks about
burning my house down. There's gratitude for you! But I'll put a stop
to this at once--young gentlemen, I'll put a stop to this at once! I'm
coming down among you to seize the ringleaders, and that
good-for-nothing Rattlin. Ah! the monitors, and the heads of all the
classes shall be flogged; the rest shall be forgiven, if they will go
quietly to bed, and give up all their fireworks." Having so said, he
descended from above with his friends, and, in about a quarter of an
hour afterwards, armed with a tremendous whip, he appeared among his
satellites below.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

MUCH EXCELLENT, AND CONSEQUENTLY USELESS, DIPLOMACY DISPLAYED--A TRUCE,
AND MANY HEADS BROKEN--THE BATTLE RAGES; AND, AT LENGTH, THE PUERILES
ACHIEVE THE VICTORY.

The reader must not suppose that, while masters and scholars were ranged
against each other as